Dhaka, December 21 (BDNews24): To mark the 46 th. Victory Day last Saturday, a group of young Bangladeshi theater artistes re-enacted the historic moment on December 16 ,1971 when the Indian General, Jagjit Singh Aurora, accepted the unconditional surrender of the Pakistani forces from Lt.Gen.A.A.K.Niazi at the Race Course Grounds in Dhaka, now known as Suhrawardy Udyan.
The Pakistani Instrument of Surrender signifying the end of the 13 day Bangladesh war of liberation was signed by Lt.Gen.A.A.K.Niazi, Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan. He surrendered to Lt.Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, Joint Commander of Indian and Bangladesh Forces.
Air Commodore A.K.Khandker, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Forces, represented the Provisional Government of Bangladesh at the surrender.
The day is commemorated as Victory Day, a national holiday in Bangladesh; and as Vijay Diwas on the Indian military calendar.
Present on the occasion at the Race Course were Vice-Admiral Mohammad Shariff, Commander of the Pakistan Navy Eastern Command, Air Vice Marshal Patrick D.Callaghan, chief, Pakistan Air Force’s Eastern Air Command, Lt.Gen.Sagat Singh, Commander Indian IV Corps, Air Marshal H.C.Dewan, Indian Air Force Eastern Command, and Maj.Gen. JFR Jacob, Chief of Staff Indian Eastern Command.
About 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered, making it the largest military surrender that occurred after World War II. Lt. Gen. Aurora accepted the surrender without a word, while the crowd on the race course erupted in celebrations
Text of the Instrument of Surrender
| The PAKISTAN Eastern Command agree to surrender all PAKISTAN Armed Forces in BANGLA DESH to Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA, General Officer Commanding in Chief of Indian and BANGLA DESH forces in the Eastern Theatre. This surrender includes all PAKISTAN land, air and naval forces as also all para-military forces and civil armed forces. These forces will lay down their arms and surrender at the places where they are currently located to the nearest regular troops under the command of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA.
The PAKISTAN Eastern Command shall come under the orders of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA as soon as the instrument has been signed. Disobedience of orders will be regarded as a breach of the surrender terms and will be dealt with in accordance with the accepted laws and usages of war. The decision of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA will be final, should any doubt arise as to the meaning of interpretation of the surrender terms. Lieutenant General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA gives a solemn assurance that personnel who surrender shall be treated with dignity and respect that soldiers are entitled to in accordance with provisions of the GENEVA Convention and guarantees the safety and well-being of all PAKISTAN military and para-military forces who surrender. Protection will be provided to foreign nationals, ethnic minorities and personnel of WEST PAKISTANI origin by the forces under the command of Lieutenant-General JAGJIT SINGH AURORA. |
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| <signed> | <signed> |
| (JAGJIT SINGH AURORA) Lieutenant-General General Officer Commanding in Chief India and BANGLA DESH Forces in the Eastern Theatre 16 December 1971 |
(AMIR ABDULLAH KHAN NIAZI) Lieutenant-General Martial Law Administrator Zone B and Commander Eastern Command (Pakistan) 16 December 1971 |
(The picture at the top shows a group of young theatre artists re-enact the historic moment of surrender by the Pakistani forces on Dec 16, 1971, at the Race Course Ground, now Suhrawardy Udyan.Photo: BDNews24)
